Press Releases

OTTAWA – The federal and Ontario government’s move to allow Canadians to increase their contributions to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), which New Democrats have been calling for, is a timid step forward but it’s not enough, says New Democrat Leader Jack Layton.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 15, 2010

OTTAWA – NDP Human Rights Critic Wayne Marston held a press conference today to announce the tabling of his “Prevention of Torture Act.” The bill is designed to end all possible government complicity in torture. The bill, among other things, makes it a criminal offence to use information known to be derived from torture; and prohibits Canadian officials from handing over prisoners to be tortured at home or abroad; and establishes diplomatic protocols for the immediate repatriation of any Canadian citizen at risk of torture abroad.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 26, 2010

New Democrats demand urgent action

OTTAWA – The Prime Minister must end prorogation and bring Parliament back so that immediate action can be taken to save the pensions of workers whose former employers are currently in bankruptcy or restructuring proceedings, says New Democrat Pensions Critic Wayne Marston.

HAMILTON – New Democratic Candidate, Wayne Marston, joined his party’s leader, Jack Layton and women from across the nation to talk about the role of women in Canadian politics.

Layton said Harper’s record is “disastrous” for women citing examples like the Conservatives’ removal of the word ‘equality’ from the mandate of Status of Women Canada. Harper closed 12 of 16 Status of Women Canada offices and changed the agency’s funding rules to exclude organizations that promote women’s equality.

“Mr. Harper failed to deliver on any of the initiatives that best support women’s full equality—such as affordable child care, Employment Insurance reform, home care for loved ones, and affordable housing” said Marston. “The NDP is the only party that is committed to women and equality; that’s why 40% of our caucus is currently female and we are constantly pushing for it to be higher.”

Women still earn on average 30 cents less on the dollar, and two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women – many living below the poverty line and half of all Canadian women will experience criminal violence in their lifetimes. New Democrats’ have a long history of commitment to women’s rights, pay and employment equity, fighting violence against women, and increasing the number of women candidates and MPs.

“Our vision is one of helping ordinary people, women and men, and children improve their lives. That means first and foremost achieving women’s equality and strengthening women’s rights. We will reverse the Harper cuts, and invest $120 million in women’s organizations each year” said Marston. “It’s time for a Prime Minister who will fight for fairness, affordability, equal opportunity, decent living standards and the freedom to live without fear. A Prime Minister who will take this country forwards, not backwards. That Prime Minister is Jack Layton.”

HAMILTON – NDP Candidate, Wayne Marston (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) believes that this recent price hike in the gas prices is just another example of why the NDP and Jack Layton should be Canada’s next government.

Today, the NDP released its practical plan to help make life more affordable for ordinary consumers, by not only talking about the rising gas prices, but also addressing the unfair charges families face from banks, credit card companies and cell phone companies.

New Democrat Leader Jack Layton today blasted the “unacceptable and outrageous” practices of many banks, oil companies, telecom and credit-card firms for contributing to the income squeeze on working and middle class families.
“Everyday Canadians are paying millions of dollars every year due to price-gouging and hidden fees of all sorts,” said Layton. ”The situation is so bad that even voices in the business community are rising in protest.”

The NDP outlined five practical measures to stop hidden fees and help consumers:

• End hidden fees with laws requiring full disclosure of charges by banks, cell-phone operators, and other companies. Including the unfair practice of charging more for cell phone text messages.
• Ban ATM fees.
• Stop price gouging at the gas pumps.
• Put a cap on interest rates and fees charged by ‘fringe banks’.
• Cap the interest rates on credit cards.

“Consumers deserve protection. I am running again to be the federal representative for Hamilton East – Stoney Creek so that I can work to stop hidden fees and price gouging and help make life affordable for everyday families”, said Marston.

Prudent, step-by-step plan aims to create 40,000 manufacturing jobs

HAMILTON – Canada’s manufacturing industry is in free-fall and Stephen Harper doesn’t care. New Democrats do.

Today, New Democrats set out a prudent, responsible, step-by-step plan to strengthen and renew Canadian manufacturing, through smart investment, stimulating innovation and fairer trade policies.

“Hamilton East-Stoney Creek needs to re-elect Wayne Marston, a Member of Parliament who has and will continue to fight for working families. The manufacturing sector has been hit hard,” said Marston. “Jobs are disappearing overseas. Harper is doing nothing, and proposes to do nothing in the future. Working families are the last priority of Stephen Harper.”

New Democrat Leader Jack Layton announced the New Democrats’ six-point plan outside General Motors in Oshawa.

New Democrats would:

• Stop unproductive, untargeted and fiscally irresponsible corporate tax cuts, and target investments instead to stimulate innovation
• Invest in low-emission vehicle production
• Train new and displaced workers through a Green Collar Jobs Fund
• Create a Jobs Commissioner to investigate shutdowns
• Develop sector-based industrial strategies
• And stop the export of Canadian jobs overseas through new, manufacturing-friendly trade policies.

The New Democrats would commit $2 billion a year to this program, aiming to create 40,000 new manufacturing jobs, and to protect many more.

Layton called on business, labour, government and communities to come together around his six-point plan and attacked Prime Minister Harper for being out of touch with the realities of the auto industry in particular.

“Unlike Stephen Harper, the New Democrats will take tough action to stop the export of Canadian jobs overseas. The NDP is the only party that will stand up for Canadian families,” said Marston.

HAMILTON– New Democrat, Wayne Marston will be the first person to be officially nominated as a candidate in the riding of Hamilton East – Stoney Creek. He will be at the Hamilton East – Stoney Creek Returning Office at 2511 Barton Street East on Thursday, September 11, 2008 at 11am to complete his nomination papers. Also, to kick off his re-election campaign he will be hosting an Open House in his new Campaign Headquarters.

“I have been so honoured to represent the people of Hamilton East and Stoney Creek since 2006 and wanted to make sure that I was the first one on the ballot to show how committed I am to continue as this riding’s Member of Parliament,” said Marston.

The Marston Campaign would like to extend an invitation to the public and to all members of the press to their Open House which will be held:

Saturday, September 13, 2008
Noon - 4:00 pm
Marston Campaign Headquarters at 1471 Main Street East

The Marston Campaign has been ready and operating since Mr. Harper decided to renege on his commitment to a fixed election date on Sunday, September 7th. Volunteers have been working around the clock to ensure signs, campaign literature and the office was ready for the much anticipated election call.

“I have spoken to many families in the riding this summer who have told me how worried they are about making ends meet. Jack Layton and the NDP have provided leadership, honesty and fairness and will continue to put you and your family first. In this election, the NDP are the only party that can stand up to the Harper Conservatives on the issues of the economy, health care and the environment. We have solid ideas and I can’t wait to be able to speak to my constituents throughout the election,” said Marston.

June 2, 2008

Ottawa – NDP MP Wayne Marston held a press conference today where he reinforced the urgency for the establishment of a National DNA Data Bank and a Missing Persons Index.

Mr. Marston became involved with the issue when his constituent Donna Dixon, mother of missing boy Billy Mason, approached him for help. With Billy missing for two years, Dixon was shocked to learn that after giving permission to the police to collect Billy’s DNA, there was no database to check the samples against.

“I was shocked when clues in the form of clothing I had found near an area I was told he had been seen before he disappeared could not help me find my son Billy Mason,” Dixon said in a statement released in November, “I do firmly believe they are my son Billy’s and there is no way to find out if they are his.”

With just 2 visits to local malls, Marston and Ms. Dixon were able to have over 800 cards signed by constituents. The 800 post cards carry a message calling on the Prime Minister to ensure the establishment of these important tools for justice.

For months Mr. Marston has fought for the establishment of an index and database. In November, Marston presented a petition containing 6,600 signatures to the Prime Minister that demanded the establishment of a DNA Bank and Missing Persons Index at the federal level.

This week, Mr. Marston had the cards delivered to Prime Minster Harper’s Office and he hopes the government will now move forward on this important issue.

“Law enforcement officials currently depend on a patchwork of processes to attempt to match the DNA of missing persons with found and recovered items and remains,” said Marston. “It is time to give police the tools they need to help families like Donna Dixon’s find out what happened to their loved ones. It’s time to act.”

OTTAWA – MP Wayne Marston, (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) and the NDP’s Critic on Human Rights presented a motion on March 11, 2008 before the Subcommittee on Human Rights drawing attention to the detention and prosecution of Omar Khadr with hopes that Canadian government would recognize him as a child combatant and petition the American government for his repatriation.

Mr. Khadr’s lawyer, U.S. Navy Lt. Commander William Kuebler, appeared before the House of Commons Subcommittee on April 29, 2008 where he appealed for Canada to save Mr. Khadr’s from a potential life sentence. "It's not a question of giving this young man a second chance. He has never had a first one. The only blessing he's had is being born in Canada and this country now represents his only hope," said Lt. Cmdr. Kuebler.

Kuebler also talked extensively about the rules set forth by the UN Optional Protocol on the Convention of the Rights of the Child. This Protocol clearly defines child combatants as victims, under the age of 18 years, who have been sent to fight. Canada was the first country to ratify the Protocol and has an obligation to abide by it. Unfortunately, it would appear as though the Conservative government does not believe it must uphold these international obligations.

“The fact that Omar Khadr's country has not given him the help that all Canadian citizens deserve is absolutely unacceptable” said Marston. “This boy was a child soldier, when he was shot in the back twice, almost executed, and then held as a prisoner at the age of 15. He has had to cope with what the American government calls, "enhanced interrogation techniques" at Guantanamo Bay, has been held with adult detainees for the past six years, and now faces life in prison,” said Wayne Marston.

At the time he was taken into custody, Omar Khadr was by all definitions a child soldier, and as such, Marston and the NDP believe the Canadian government has a responsibility to ensure that he receives a fair trial in his home country. Mr. Khadr has not received fair process or justice during his almost six year incarceration in Guantanamo Bay. This is especially obvious when all other combatants from other nations, being held in either Afghanistan detention centres or at Guantanamo Bay’s centre have been released to their home countries.

Marston wrote to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maxime Bernier demanding the government defend this Canadian citizen, repatriate Omar Khadr, declare him to be a child combatant, and ultimately to bring him home.

Wayne Marston, MP (Hamilton East – Stoney Creek) was joined by the family of Billy Mason, a local man who went missing over 2 years ago, to launch a postcard campaign asking Prime Minister Harper to establish a National DNA Bank and Missing Persons Index.

“The Government has said it supports the creation of these tools in principle. It commissioned a report that told them it “would be possible and desirable” to establish these tools.” said Marston. “It is time for the Government to act on this recommendation and put the necessary processes in place to consider privacy concerns and other issues. It is time to act and set timelines for the establishment of the national DNA bank and missing persons index.”

In a recent response to a Question on the Order Paper posed by Mr. Marston, the Minister of Public Safety, Stockwell Day indicated that this should be studied by the Standing Committee on Public Safety before the Government moves ahead and that no timelines can be set because committee’s set their own agendas.

“My son has been missing for over two years. We have DNA samples that could be compared to found articles of clothing but without a national DNA bank and missing person’s index, how can we know for sure that no stone has been left un-turned.” commented Donna Dixon, mother of Billy Mason, “We need this Conservative Government to show leadership and bring this forward instead of hoping somebody else will do the work.”

Mr. Marston added “We’re launching this postcard campaign to involve others in the community in this fight. Last fall we gathered over 6600 signatures to a petition – we’re hoping to get as many postcards signed to deliver to the Prime Minister. Harper and his government cannot continue to ignore the need for this important tool. “

“Law enforcement officials currently depend on a patchwork of processes to attempt to match DNA of missing persons with found and recovered items and remains. It is time to give them the tools they need to help families like Donna and Billy’s grandmother Mary find out what happened to him. It is time to act.”

Please sign our online petition or print the post card below and mail it back to Wayne, so he may present them to Mr. Harper in the House of Commons.